Voltage issue

[slowchevy]

so last Thursday at Lukes, my car died on me. I changed the alternator and got a new battery on warranty thinking that doing one or both both of those would fix the problem.

still have the issue.

sometimes at stoplights now the car nearly dies and the lights flicker and I can't even touch the brakes on top of all this because the voltage keeps going on like 11..



I'm stumped on what it could be. If anybody has any ideas please help me out

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[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Lol why just replace parts before testing them?


Sounds like a short possibly.

Or bad grounding.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Probably a bad/dirty ground.



You're a dipshit for replacing the alternator and battery without diagnosing the issue first

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

probably battery cable acid corrosion between the terminal crimps and the copper strands

 

[slowchevy]

Probably a bad/dirty ground.



You're a dipshit for replacing the alternator and battery without diagnosing the issue first

Battery wouldn't hold a charge. Luckily I bought one earlier this year. Was able to warranty it out. New one was bouncing around too so I thought I would try a different alternator, thinking that since the power system has two major components I could nip the problem. Nope.

 

[SinisterSHO]

Bad ground fucked the alternator, which fucked the battery.

 

[bikrboy128]

Where did you get the alternator?

 

[slowchevy]

AZ

 

[smug]

junk this junk

 

[slowchevy]

I'm definitely thinking about it. Get it repaired and offload it to some bro off. Craigslist

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

ill give you 500$

 

[slowchevy]

Can someone get me the locations of every ground on a 03 park avenue I don't have service manuals on this car yet

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Use your eyes. Grounds are easy to spot. Or just add more

 

[slowchevy]

Ya know, I feel stupid enough having to ask for help on stuff.. would be wonderful if you could keep the BS outta this thread.

all I know of is the one from the battery to the inner fender.. connections are clean/tight and battery terminals are OK

 

[1quick]

run one from the battery to the inner fender clean off the paint with sand paper or a grinder also run one from there to the ground stud on the lower front of the trans to engine block it already has a couple wires on it you will see it its the lowest bolt in front and has a stud with another nut on it, then run another one also off that stud to the fender on the other side thats as good of a ground as your ever going to get, use thick wire, i like 2 gauge you can just buy wire and ends and make your own

 

[slowchevy]

Fuck rock Chevrolet they loosened my starter cable it never had this problem before it was there and I told them not to work on it and I would do it myself

Fucking motherfuckers

 

[smug]

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

That's why you don't depend on a dealer to "fix" your issues.

 

[slowchevy]

I took it in for a diagnostic to find out what was wrong. They quoted me around six hundred dollars worth of work and that included throttle body gasket new supercharger gasket and manifold gaskets all of which were recently done. I explained that on the phone and said I did not wish to have that written performed at the time seeing I just did it. This dealership had a loaner which I needed for work while they did a diagnosis of something that I ended up fixing with a new EGR tube and mis-diagnosed the car. When I went to get the car in the parking lot it didn't want to start and ground the starter and a few weeks later the battery went totally flat one night and I wasn't able to recharge it. Warranteed the battery and it began jumping around again voltage wise. Alternator was putting out weird voltages at the regulator so I went ahead and replaced it. Never even thinking that they might've done something so I would come back again for more money on their end. I replaced the starter in March and I know those cables were tight. Thus I never looked. Maybe that caused the whole problem though. It all started when the car left that dealership after I declined the ticket they wanted me to pay for and do the work that wasn't necessary. So maybe stop being a dick. I should more than be able to depend on a dealership for a diagnostic on something, for fucks sakes they're the ones who sell the cars they should know how to work on them. J can afford it if need be.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

the starter cable power wire wouldnt have caused charging issues only starting issues.

only the earliest W bodies used multiple power wires on the starter primary power cable...i could see those cars with a loose starter cable would also see odd voltage and charging issues

 

[slowchevy]

Until the next problem arises lol

 

[0GBlown]

does heat also affect voltage?

i notice during the summer car would idle around 13.1 to 13.4 and last fall around 13.3 to 13.7 granted my battery is in the trunk, ac off in both cases

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

cold batteries have higher internal resistance (also why output drops as the battery gets colder) and cars with compensation will charge at a higher voltage

most alternator regulators have a field control as well as a V ref. some have a way to sense battery temp via a thermister.